Transportation officials across the St. Louis region are preparing for a major winter storm this weekend, but they are taking different approaches on opposite sides of the river.
In a Friday morning briefing, St. Louis County officials said they would begin pretreating major roads with rock salt and calcium chloride Friday night, in an effort to more easily clear those thoroughfares once snow begins falling on Saturday.
“We try to time when we start our pretreatment to correspond with when we expect the precipitation to come in,” said Ryan Pierce of the St. Louis County Department of Transportation. “We don’t want to treat too early and have the salt that we put down get knocked off by traffic.”
The Missouri Department of Transportation is taking a similar approach to pretreating interstates and other state-owned highways, but St. Louis District Engineer Tom Blair said in a Friday afternoon press conference that the pretreatment’s effectiveness could be limited by cold temperatures.
“Snow will accumulate, and the only way to clear that snow off the roads is to plow it,” Blair said. “And that plowing will take time.”
Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Transportation is eschewing pretreatment of roads in the Metro East, in part because of its limited effectiveness.
Joseph Monroe, District 8 operations engineer with IDOT, said Friday afternoon that not pretreating will allow his plow drivers to clear roads longer without having to return to refill the chemicals.
“If I miss it high, let's say the temperatures end up warmer. I'll pivot in the middle of the storm,” Monroe said. “But if I start with chemical, I can't unring that bell. That’s my thought process.”
In a press briefing on Thursday, the City of St. Louis said it was also pretreating major streets.
Streets Department Director James Jackson said the chemicals the city is using should remain effective in temperatures as cold as 10 below zero.
“Once we get [to] 10 [degrees] and above, that's when it's going to start melting," Jackson said, "and that's when we're going to start asking for the public's patience to allow nature to take her course.”
As of Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service was forecasting anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of snow between Saturday and Sunday for the St. Louis region. Meteorologists said the snow will come in two waves, with the first bringing 1-3 inches Saturday afternoon, and the second bringing another 5-9 inches Saturday night and Sunday.
The Rolla area is forecast to see similar snowfall totals, with some snow possible as soon as Friday night into Saturday morning.
Less snow, but colder temperatures to the north
Quincy, Illinois, area residents should also expect two rounds of snow this weekend. Meteorologists say the dry, cold air could affect the snowfall totals for Quincy on Saturday. If it does, people may see light snowfall that could accumulate up to two inches.
“Anything that falls, even if it's just a dusting, will readily stick to any surface, including paved surfaces, and cause treacherous travel,” said Alex Elmore, lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in St. Louis.
Meteorologists are expecting another round of snowfall Saturday night and Sunday morning to bring the bulk of the snow to the Quincy area. This weather system could bring weekend snowfall totals up to 8 inches.
However, Elmore said that if the dry air is a bit stronger than expected on Saturday, Quincy could see less snowfall, closer to 3 inches over the weekend. Regardless of the total snowfall, he cautions residents on staying outside for prolonged periods, even with layers of clothing, because the body becomes susceptible to hypothermia with wind chill readings well below zero through the weekend.
“If you don't have to be outdoors, we recommend not,” Elmore said. “If heaven forbid you do have to be outdoors, just make it for brief stints, and make sure you reduce your exposed skin as much as possible, and wear multiple layers, especially on Sunday.”
Residents in need of warming centers or shelter can visit Quincy’s Salvation Army Shelter at 501 Broadway. The Quincy Family YMCA at 3101 Maine St. is open on Friday as a warming station.
State of emergency
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order Thursday declaring a state of emergency ahead of the storm.
"With hazardous winter weather forecasted for this weekend across much of the state and nation, our focus is on preparedness and coordination," Kehoe said. "Declaring a State of Emergency allows the state to respond quickly and support local communities as needed, but each of us must do our part. We're asking Missourians to stay informed, plan ahead, and use extreme caution during this potentially dangerous winter weather event."
As part of the emergency declaration, the Missouri National Guard has activated 180 service members ahead of the storm. In a social media post, the Guard said it would provide stranded motorist assistance teams to help the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Department of Transportation.
